Apolipoprotein nanodiscs with telodendrimer

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a nanodisc with a membrane scaffold protein. The nanodisc includes a membrane scaffold protein, a telodendrimer and a lipid. The membrane scaffold protein can be apolipoprotein. The telodendrimer has the general formula PEG-L-D-(R) n , wherein D is a dendritic polymer; L is a bond or a linker linked to the focal point group of the dendritic polymer; each PEG is a poly(ethylene glycol) polymer; each R is and end group of the dendritic polymer, or and end group with a covalently bound hydrophobic group, hydrophilic group, amphiphilic compound, or drug; and subscript n is an integer from 2 to 20. Cell free methods of making the nanodiscs are also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.61/578,583, filed Dec. 21, 2011, which is incorporated in its entiretyherein for all purposes.

STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSOREDRESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

This invention was made with Government support under Grant No. R01CA115483, awarded by the National Institute of Health, and Contract No.DE-AC52-07NA27344 between the United States Department of Energy andLawrence Livermore National Security, LLC for the operation of LawrenceLivermore National Laboratory. The Government has certain rights in thisinvention.

REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING,” A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAMLISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED AS AN ASCII TEXT FILE

The Sequence Listing written in file -2069-1.TXT, created on Feb. 15,2013, 8,192 bytes, machine format IBM-PC, MS-Windows operating system,is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

NLPs are discoidal nanoparticles formed when apolipoproteins and apopulation of phospholipids self-assemble into nanometer-sized discscontaining a bilayer that is fully soluble in an aqueous environment.Nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs) are nanoscale (6-30 nm), discoidalpatches of lipid bilayer stabilized by peripheral scaffold. NLPs presentdistinct advantages over currently used membrane systems in terms ofparticle size and consistency: the presence of the circularapolipoprotein “belt” that constrains the dimensions of the bilayer andhelps ensure discrete NLP particle sizes between preparations comparedto current model membranes. The protein belt also makes NLPs morethermally stable over time compared to micelles and liposomes. Thisbilayer is thought to closely mimic the cell membrane, providing ahydrophobic patch for the incorporation of membrane proteins as well asa region for the interaction of drugs and other small molecules.

Currently, the greatest use of NLPs has been the stabilization andcharacterization of membrane proteins. Noteworthy, is the fact thatthese artificial lipid system were more soluble with less sampleheterogeneity compared to proteins prepared from microsomes. Thecombined use of cell-free-NLPs production allows for the solublepresentation of membrane proteins in a highly controlled environment.Cell-free systems also permit unique labeling/tagging strategies notreadily available to whole cell systems and allows one to go from a geneto protein to structure in a single day. Cell-free systems canaccommodate additives that augment protein expression; including:chaperonins, lipids, redox factors, and detergents and proteaseinhibitors. More recently GPCRs and model proteins such asbacteriorhodopsin, have been reconstituted into NLPs using DMPC alone,POPC alone or a mixtures of POPC/POPG demonstrating that lipid effectscan be used to fine tune NLP applications. Other additives that alterlipid:apoprotein interactions could aid in solubilization and NLPs.Importantly, this can all be accomplished in a single reaction, in ahigh-throughput manner for testing a variety of conditions to identifyoptimal functional parameters.

The development of several amphiphilic PEG-dendritic block copolymers(telodendrimers) was previously shown to have several favorablenanoproperties for both cancer imaging and therapy using micelles. Theparticles were 20-80 nm. This size is generally smaller than many of thereported nanoparticles and liposomes, containing a well-defined andeasily fine-tuned PEG corona. Importantly the use of PEG could minimizethe nonspecific binding as well as biological degradation in vivo.Although the micelles were designed for packaging drug and imagingagents buried inside the hydrophobic core the telodendrimers themselvesprovide convenient covalent attachment sites that could be used forpresenting active targeting and cellular uptake molecules on thesurface. The possibility of incorporating the telodendrimerfunctionality on a different nanoplatform such as the NLPs could aid inthe development of a novel multifaceted nanoparticle capable of carryingtherapeutic peptides with imaging functions displayed on the surface ofthe nanoparticles. Surprisingly, the present invention meets this andother needs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides a nanodisc including amembrane scaffold protein, a telodendrimer and a lipid.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a cell-free method ofmaking a nanodisc. The method includes forming a vesicle having atelodendrimer and a lipid, wherein the ratio of lipid to telodendrimeris from about 500:1 to about 1:1 (w/w). The method also includes forminga reaction mixture of the vesicle and a membrane scaffold protein in theabsence of a cell, thereby preparing the nanodisc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic of cell-free synthesis of telodendrimerconjugated NLPs. A.) The chemical structure of a telodendrimer comprisedof an octamer of cholic acid (CA8) linked to the terminal end of alinear 5 kDa PEG molecule (PEG^(5K)), which is solubilized with DMPClipid. B.) The telodendrimer-lipid mixture is then added to a generalcell free reaction, resulting in the self-assembly of Telo-NLPs.

FIG. 2 shows telodendrimer addition increase the yield and solubility ofnanoparticles. A total of 1 ml cell-free expression reactions were runwith and without Telodendrimer PEG^(5K)-CA₈ in DMPC. A typicalcomparison of the differing fractions produced throughout thepurification is shown. The following symbols are T=total reaction,FT=flow through, W=wash and E=elution fractions. Elution fractions werecentrifuged to remove non-soluble components. Panel A. shows a 4-12%SDS-PAGE gel for the purification profile of a NLP assembled with DMPCalone. Panel B. shows a 4-25% SDS-PAGE gel for the purification profileof a NLP assembled using DMPC and telodendrimer additives.

FIG. 3 shows telodendrimer addition to nanoparticle formation changedaggregation levels and size tenability. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)was used to assess several biophysical properties of the Telo-NLPparticles. A, The size distribution of telodendrimer-NLPs measured byDynamic Light Scattering. Telodendrimer-NLPs demonstrated an improvedhomogeneity compared to normal DMPC-NLP. B, Total aggregation of varioustelodendrimer-NLPs show significantly less aggregation compared tonormal DMPC-NLP (p<0.01). C, PEG tail length and size of thetelodendrimer-NLPs are significantly correlated (PEG^(2K) vs PEG^(5K),p<0.01).

FIG. 4 shows disc-like structures with decreased aggregation oftelodendrimer NLP complexes compared with NLP alone. CryoEMvisualization of NLP preparations with and without telodendrimers areshown to reduced aggregation levels of Telo-NLPs. A: NLP assembly usingDMPC lipids alone. B: NLP assembly using DMPC lipids with 10%telodendrimer PEG^(2K)-CA₄. C: NLP assembly using DMPC lipids with 10%telodendrimer PEG^(2K)-CA₈. D: Magnification of NLP with 10%PEG^(2K)-CA₈ (arrowhead) from it's top view. Tubular structures (whitearrow) represent Tobacco Mosaic Viruses for reference.

FIG. 5 shows the telodendrimers are associated with nanoparticles as acomplex. Diffusion curves of proteins and NLP/Telo-NLP complexes asmeasured by FCS. The curves correspond to Δ49A1 (triangle), Telo-NLP(star), NLP (plus) and DMPC (circle) vesicles in 1× PBS respectively.

FIG. 6 shows the telodendrimers are compatible with membrane proteinproduction. The cell free reactions are setup with 1 ug/mLpIVEX-2.4b-apoA1 and 10 ug/mL pIVEX-2.4b-boP and 2 mg/mL lipid (100%DMPC or 99.5% DMPC and 0.5% telodendrimer, molar ratio), BODIPY-FL and50 uM all trans retinal, 30 C at 990 rpm for 4 hours. Panel A). Thepictures of the tubes were taken after the reactions were finished.Panel B). Denaturing SDS PAGE gel electrophoresis of cell-free expressedproteins. All samples were loaded along with a molecular weight standard(M.W.). The pictures were taken with GE-TYPHOON 9410 using laser/filter488 nm/520 nm. The non-specific bands below 20 kDa are free BODIPY-FL.The tubes and lanes are as follows: 1. Coexpression of BR and ApoA1 withDMPC (BR-NLP), 2. Cell free expression of ApoA1 with DMPC (empty NLP),3. Coexpression of BR and ApoA1 with DMPC and 0.5% telodendrimerPEG^(2k)-CA₄, 4. Coexpression of BR and ApoA1 with DMPC and 0.5%telodendrimer PEG^(2k)-CA₈, 5. Coexpression of BR and ApoA1 with DMPCand 0.5% telodendrimer PEG^(5k)-CF₄, 6. Coexpression of BR and ApoA1with DMPC and 0.5% telodendrimer PEG^(5k)-CA₈.

FIG. 7 shows an SDS-PAGE analysis using PEG^(2k)-CA₄ (lane 1),PEG^(5k)-CF₄ (lane 2), PEG^(5k)-CF₈ (lane 3) and PEG^(10k)-CF₄ (lane 4),which demonstrates that the telodendrimer-nanolipoproteins are >90%homogenous.

FIG. 8 provides a comparison of telodendrimer-nanolipoprotein size andaggregation using 1% and 10% levels of telodendrimer for PEG^(2K)-CA₄,PEG^(2K)-CA₈, PEG^(5K)-CA₈, PEG^(5K)-CF₄ and PEG^(10K)-CF₄.

FIG. 9 shows aggregation of telodendrimer-nanolipoprotein forPEG^(3k)-CA₈-FITC with ratios of DMPC to telodendrimer of 99:1, 90:10,50:50, 10:90 and 1:99.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION I. General

The present invention is based on the surprising discovery thatamphiphilic polymer conjugates, called “telodendrimers,” can bind andstabilize phospholipid bilayers to provide discrete nanostructurestermed hybrid nanodiscs (hybrid-ND) in the presence of a membranescaffold protein. The telodendrimers of the present invention are blockcopolymers having a linear poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) segment and adendritic hydrophobic segment or a dendritic amphiphilic segment.Telodendrimers can also have additional functional groups such as cholicacid groups and hydrophobic drugs covalently bound to the dendriticsegment. The invention also provides convenient methods for nanodiscgeneration.

II. Definitions

As used herein, the term “nanodisc” refers to at least one phospholipidbilayer that is stabilized by a lipid-binding species and anapolipoprotein. The preferred lipid binding species is a telodendrimeras disclosed herein, although other lipid-binding species (includingproteins and peptides) are known. The nanodiscs of the present inventionare less than one micron in diameter. The nanodiscs can optionallycontain additional lipid components, drugs, proteins that are notmembrane scaffold proteins, diagnostic agents, and targeting agents.

As used herein, the term “membrane scaffold protein” refers to a proteinthat can stabilize a phospholipid bilayer in a nanodisc by binding tothe bilayer periphery. In general, membrane scaffold proteins havehydrophobic faces that can associate with the nonpolar interior of aphospholipid bilayer and hydrophilic faces that favorably interact witha polar solvent such as an aqueous buffer. Membrane scaffold proteinsequences may be naturally occurring, or may be engineered usingrecombinant techniques or constructed de novo. Naturally occurringmembrane scaffold proteins include apolipoproteins, which are componentsof lipoproteins. Known classes of apolipoproteins include: A (including,for example, apo A-I and apo A-II), B, C, D, E, and H. The membranescaffold proteins can be the full length protein, or a truncated versionof the protein. Membrane scaffold protein is not intended to encompassvarious functional membrane proteins including, but not limited to, ionchannels and other transmembrane receptors, porins, certain celladhesion molecules, and electron transport proteins such as NADHdehydrogenase and ATP synthases.

As used herein, the term “telodendrimer” refers to a dendrimercontaining a hydrophilic PEG segment and one or more chemical moietiescovalently bonded to one or more end groups of the dendrimer. Thesemoieties can include, but are not limited to, hydrophobic groups,hydrophilic groups, amphiphilic compounds, and drugs. Different moietiesmay be selectively installed at desired end groups using orthogonalprotecting group strategies.

As used herein, the terms “dendrimer” and “dendritic polymer” refer tobranched polymers containing a focal point, a plurality of branchedmonomer units, and a plurality of end groups. The monomers are linkedtogether to form arms (or “dendrons”) extending from the focal point andterminating at the end groups. The focal point of the dendritic polymercan be attached to other segments of the telodendrimers, and the endgroups may be further functionalized with additional chemical moieties.

As used herein, the terms “monomer” and “monomer unit” refer torepeating units that make up the dendrons of the dendritic polymers ofthe invention. The monomers may be AB2-type monomers, where A and B aretwo different functional groups capable of reacting together such thatthe resulting polymer chain has a branch point where an A-B bond isformed. Exemplary monomers include a diamino carboxylic acid, adihydroxy carboxylic acid and a hydroxyl amino carboxylic acid. Examplesof diamino carboxylic acid groups of the present invention include, butare not limited to, 2,3-diamino propanoic acid, 2,4-diaminobutanoicacid, 2,5-diaminopentanoic acid (ornithine), 2,6-diaminohexanoic acid(lysine), (2-Aminoethyl)-cysteine, 3-amino-2-aminomethyl propanoic acid,3-amino-2-aminomethyl-2-methyl propanoic acid,4-amino-2-(2-aminoethyl)butyric acid and5-amino-2-(3-aminopropyl)pentanoic acid. Examples of dihydroxycarboxylic acid groups of the present invention include, but are notlimited to, glyceric acid, 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid, and2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid. Examples of hydroxyl aminocarboxylic acids include, but are not limited to, serine and homoserine.One of skill in the art will appreciate that other monomer units areuseful in the present invention.

As used herein, the term “amino acid” refers to a carboxylic acidbearing an amine functional group. Amino acids include the diaminocarboxylic acids described above. Amino acids include naturallyoccurring α-amino acids, wherein the amine is bound to the carbonadjacent to the carbonyl carbon of the carboxylic acid. Examples ofnaturally occurring α-amino acids include, but are not limited to,L-aspartic acid, L-glutamic acid, L-histidine, L-lysine, and L-arginine.Amino acids may also include the D-enantiomers of naturally occurringα-amino acids, as well as β-amino acids and other non-naturallyoccurring amino acids.

As used herein, the term “lipid” refers to lipid molecules that caninclude fats, waxes, steroids, cholesterol, fat-soluble vitamins,monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids,sphingolipids, glycolipids, cationic or anionic lipids, derivatizedlipids, and the like, as described in detail below. Lipids can formmicelles, monolayers, and bilayer membranes. The lipids canself-assemble in combination with other components to form nanodiscs.

As used herein, the term “hydrophobic group” refers to a chemical moietythat is water-insoluble or repelled by water. Examples of hydrophobicgroups include, but are not limited to, long-chain alkanes and fattyacids, fluorocarbons, silicones, certain steroids such as cholesterol,and many polymers including, for example, polystyrene and polyisoprene.

As used herein, the term “hydrophilic group” refers to a chemical moietythat is water-soluble or attracted to water. Examples of hydrophilicgroups include, but are not limited to, alcohols, short-chain carboxylicacids, quaternary amines, sulfonates, phosphates, sugars, and certainpolymers such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG).

As used herein, the term “amphiphilic compound” refers to a compoundhaving both hydrophobic portions and hydrophilic portions. For example,the amphiphilic compounds of the present invention can have onehydrophilic face of the compound and one hydrophobic face of thecompound. Amphiphilic compounds useful in the present invention include,but are not limited to, cholic acid and cholic acid analogs andderivatives, and cholesterol formate.

As used herein, the term “cholic acid” refers to(R)-4-((3R,5S,7R,8R,9S,10S,12S,13R, 14S,17R)-3,7,12-trihydroxy-10,13-dimethylhexadecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl)pentanoicacid. Cholic acid is also known as 3α,7α,12α-trihydroxy-5β-cholanoicacid; 3-α,7-α,12-α-Trihydroxy-5-β-cholan-24-oic acid;17-β-(1-methyl-3-carboxypropyl)etiocholane-3α,7α,12α-triol; cholalicacid; and cholalin. Cholic acid derivatives and analogs, such asallocholic acid, pythocholic acid, avicholic acid, deoxycholic acid, andchenodeoxycholic acid are also useful in the present invention. Cholicacid derivatives can be designed to modulate the properties of thenanodiscs resulting from telodendrimer assembly, such as stability andmembrane activity. For example, the cholic acid derivatives can havehydrophilic faces that are modified with one or more glycerol groups,aminopropanediol groups, or other groups.

As used herein, the terms “drug” or “therapeutic agent” refers to anagent capable of treating and/or ameliorating a condition or disease.Drugs useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to,paclitaxel, doxorubicin, etoposide, irinotecan, SN-38, cyclosporin A,podophyllotoxin, Carmustine, Amphotericin B, Ixabepilone, Patupilone(epothelone class), rapamycin and platinum drugs. The drugs of thepresent invention also include prodrug forms. One of skill in the artwill appreciate that other drugs are useful in the present invention.

As used herein, “forming a reaction mixture” refers to the process ofbringing into contact at least two distinct species such that they mixtogether and can react, either modifying one of the initial reactants orforming a third, distinct, species, a product. It should be appreciated,however, the resulting reaction product can be produced directly from areaction between the added reagents or from an intermediate from one ormore of the added reagents which can be produced in the reactionmixture.

As used herein, the term “solvent mixture” refers to a mixture of two ormore solvents selected for suspension and/or dissolution of nanodisccomponents in a reaction mixture. The solvents in the mixture and thevolume ratio in which they are combined depend primarily on the polarityof the lipids and telodendrimers in the reaction mixture. Non-limitingexamples of solvents for use in the solvent mixture include chloroform,dichloromethane, ethanol, methanol, acetone, hexanes, petroleum ether,diethyl ether, dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, and water.

As used herein, the term “lysate” refers to the products produced afterbreaking down a cell.

As used herein, the term “buffer” refers to an aqueous solution capableof maintaining the pH of the solution at a nearly constant value. Thebuffer accomplishes this by including a weak acid and its conjugatebase, such that the pH does not substantially change following additionof a small amount of acid or base. Representative buffering agentsinclude citric acid, acetic acid, dipotassium phosphate (K₂HPO₄),N-cyclohexyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (CHES), and borate. Bufferscommonly used include, but are not limited to, TAPS, bicine, tris,tricine, TAPSO, HEPES, TES, MOPS, PIPES, cacodylate, SSC, MES andsuccinic acid.

As used herein, the term “polymerase” refers to an enzyme capable ofsynthesizing nucleic acid polymers. The polymerase can be a DNA or anRNA polymerase. Representative polymerases include DNA polymerase I, DNApolymerase II, DNA polymerase III holoenzyme, DNA polymerase IV, RNApolymerase I, RNA polymerase II, RNA polymerase III and T7 RNApolymerase. Other polymerases are useful in the present invention.

III. Telodendrimers

Telodendrimers useful in the present invention include any telodendrimerhaving a polyethyleneglycol (PEG) polymer linked to a dendrimerfunctionalized with a hydrophobic group, a hydrophilic group, anamphiphilic compound or a drug on the dendrimer periphery. In someembodiments, the invention provides a compound of formula I:PEG-D-(R)_(n)  (I)wherein radical D of formula I is a dendritic polymer having a singlefocal point group, a plurality of branched monomer units X and aplurality of end groups. PEG of formula I is a polyethyleneglycol (PEG)polymer, wherein each PEG polymer has a molecular weight of 1-100 kDa.Each R of formula I is independently the end group of the dendriticpolymer or an amphiphilic compound, such that when R is not an end groupeach R is linked to one of the end groups. Subscript n of formula I isan integer from 2 to 20, wherein subscript n is equal to the number ofend groups on the dendritic polymer, and wherein at least half thenumber n of R groups are each an amphiphilic compound.

The dendritic polymer can be any suitable dendritic polymer. Thedendritic polymer can be made of branched monomer units including aminoacids or other bifunctional AB2-type monomers, where A and B are twodifferent functional groups capable of reacting together such that theresulting polymer chain has a branch point where an A-B bond is formed.In some embodiments, each branched monomer unit X can be a diaminocarboxylic acid, a dihydroxy carboxylic acid and a hydroxyl aminocarboxylic acid. In some embodiments, each diamino carboxylic acid canbe 2,3-diamino propanoic acid, 2,4-diaminobutanoic acid,2,5-diaminopentanoic acid (ornithine), 2,6-diaminohexanoic acid(lysine), (2-Aminoethyl)-cysteine, 3-amino-2-aminomethyl propanoic acid,3-amino-2-aminomethyl-2-methyl propanoic acid,4-amino-2-(2-aminoethyl)butyric acid or5-amino-2-(3-aminopropyl)pentanoic acid. In some embodiments, eachdihydroxy carboxylic acid can be glyceric acid, 2,4-dihydroxybutyricacid, 2,2-Bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid,2,2-Bis(hydroxymethyl)butyric acid, serine or threonine. In someembodiments, each hydroxyl amino carboxylic acid can be serine orhomoserine. In some embodiments, the diamino carboxylic acid is an aminoacid. In some embodiments, each branched monomer unit X is lysine. Insome embodiments, the dendritic polymer can be a poly(lysine) dendriticpolymer wherein each end group can be hydroxy.

The focal point of a telodendrimer or a telodendrimer segment may be anysuitable functional group. In some embodiments, the focal point includesa functional group that allows for attachment of the telodendrimer ortelodendrimer segment to another segment. The focal point functionalgroup can be a nucleophilic group including, but not limited to, analcohol, an amine, a thiol, or a hydrazine. The focal point functionalgroup can also be an electrophile such as an aldehyde, a carboxylicacid, or a carboxylic acid derivative including an acid chloride or anN-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester.

The dendritic polymer of the telodendrimer can be any suitablegeneration of dendrimer, including generation 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more,where each “generation” of dendrimer refers to the number of branchpoints encountered between the focal point and the end group followingone branch of the dendrimer. The dendritic polymer of the telodendrimercan also include partial-generations such as 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5,etc., where a branch point of the dendrimer has only a single branch.The various architectures of the dendritic polymer can provide anysuitable number of end groups, including, but not limited to, 2, 3, 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 or 32 end groups.

The telodendrimer backbone can vary, depending on the number of branchesand the number and chemical nature of the end groups and R groups, whichwill modulate solution conformation, rheological properties, and othercharacteristics. The telodendrimers can have any suitable number n ofend groups and any suitable number of R groups. In some embodiments, ncan be 2-70, or 2-50, or 2-30, or 2-10. In some embodiment, n is 2-20.

The R groups installed at the telodendrimer periphery can be anysuitable chemical moiety, including hydrophilic groups, hydrophobicgroups, or amphiphilic compounds. Examples of hydrophobic groupsinclude, but are not limited to, long-chain alkanes and fatty acids,fluorocarbons, silicones, certain steroids such as cholesterol, and manypolymers including, for example, polystyrene and polyisoprene. Examplesof hydrophilic groups include, but are not limited to, alcohols,short-chain carboxylic acids, amines, sulfonates, phosphates, sugars,and certain polymers such as PEG. Examples of amphiphilic compoundsinclude, but are not limited to, molecules that have one hydrophilicface and one hydrophobic face.

Amphiphilic compounds useful in the present invention include, but arenot limited to, cholic acid and cholic acid analogs and derivatives.“Cholic acid” refers to(R)-4-((3R,5S,7R,8R,9S,10S,12S,13R,14S,17R)-3,7,12-trihydroxy-10,13-dimethylhexadecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl)pentanoicacid, having the structure:

Cholic acid derivatives and analogs include, but are not limited to,allocholic acid, pythocholic acid, avicholic acid, deoxycholic acid, andchenodeoxycholic acid. Cholic acid derivatives can be designed tomodulate the properties of the nanocarriers resulting from telodendrimerassembly, such as micelle stability and membrane activity. For example,the cholic acid derivatives can have hydrophilic faces that are modifiedwith one or more glycerol groups, aminopropanediol groups, or othergroups.

In some embodiments, each R can be cholic acid,(3α,5(3,7α,12α)-7,12-dihydroxy-3-(2,3-dihydroxy-1-propoxy)-cholic acid,(3α,5β,7α,12α)-7-hydroxy-3,12-di(2,3-dihydroxy-1-propoxy)-cholic acid,(3α,5β,7α,12α)-7,12-dihydroxy-3-(3-amino-2-hydroxy-1-propoxy)-cholicacid, cholesterol formate (CF), doxorubicin, or rhein. In someembodiments, each amphiphilic compound is cholic acid (CA). In someembodiments, each amphiphilic compound is cholesterol formate (CF).

Telodendrimer end groups can also include drugs such as paclitaxel,doxorubicin, etoposide, irinotecan, SN-38, cyclosporin A,podophyllotoxin, carmustine, amphotericin, ixabepilone, patupilone(epothelone class), rapamycin and platinum drugs. One of skill in theart will appreciate that other drugs are useful in the presentinvention.

The telodendrimer can have a single type of R group on the periphery, orany combination of R groups in any suitable ratio. In general, at leasthalf the number n of R groups are other than an end group. For example,at least half the number n of R groups can be a hydrophobic group, ahydrophilic group, an amphiphilic compound, a drug, or any combinationthereof. In some embodiments, half the number n of R groups areamphiphilic compounds.

In some embodiments, all the R groups are an amphiphilic group such ascholic acid or cholesterol formate. In other embodiments, some of the Rgroups are an end group of the dendrimer. In some other embodiments, atleast two different R groups are present, such as two differentamphiphilic groups, or an amphiphilic group and a drug, or anamphiphilic group and a dendritic polymer end group, or two differentdrugs, or a drug and a dendritic end group.

Telodendrimers useful in the present invention include, but are notlimited to, PEG^(2K)-D-CA₄, PEG^(5K)-D-CA₄, PEG^(10K)-D-CA₄,PEG^(2K)-D-CA₈, PEG^(5K)-D-CA₈, PEG^(10K)-D-CA₈, PEG^(2K)-D-CF₄,PEG^(5K)-D-CF₄, PEG^(10K)-D-CF₄, PEG^(2K)-D-CF₈, PEG^(5K)-D-CF₈, orPEG^(10K)-D-CF₈, wherein each dendritic polymer D is a poly(lysine)dendritic polymer wherein each end group is hydroxy. In someembodiments, the telodendrimer can be PEG^(2K)-D-CA₄, PEG^(2K)-D-CA₈,PEG^(5K)-D-CA₈, PEG^(5K)-D-CF₄, PEG^(10K)-D-CF₄, or PEG^(5K)-D-CF₈. Insome embodiments, the telodendrimer can be PEG^(5K)-D-CA₈,PEG^(5K)-D-CA₄ or PEG^(2K)-D-CA₄.

In some embodiments, the telodendrimer can have any of the followingformulas:

wherein each monomer unit X is lysine.

The telodendrimers useful in the present invention are known and can beprepared by a variety of methods, such as those described in PCTPublication No. WO 2010/039496.

IV. Nanodiscs

As described above, apolipoprotein-containing nanodisc drug formulationshave shown in vitro and in vivo activity, but demonstrate limitedstability and suffer from the drawbacks associated with the use ofrecombinant proteins. Telodendrimers offer several advantages when usedin combination with recombinant apolipoprotein and incorporated into thelipid nanodisc formulations. Telodendrimers are synthetic polymers andeasy to scale up. The telodendrimer components (namely PEG andbiomolecules including lysine and cholic acid), the telodendrimers, andthe telodendrimer-containing nanodiscs are fully biocompatible. Thetelodendrimer PEG component, presented on the nanodisc surface, reducesparticle aggregation due to stacking of the lipid nanodisc. PEGylationcan also prevent the rapid clearance of nanodiscs by thereticuloendothelial system, thus providing a sustained delivery of drugto a target site. In addition, the multifunctional telodendrimers allowfor the introduction of targeting molecules for specific delivery ofdrugs to targeted cells, tissues, tumors, or microorganisms.Furthermore, the size and drug loading capacity of the hybrid-ND caneasily be tuned by varying the configuration of the telodendrimers, theuse of different telodendrimer-lipid combinations or adjusting the ratioof lipid-to-telodendrimer in the final pharmaceutical formulation.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a nanodisc with a membranescaffold protein. The nanodisc includes a membrane scaffold protein, atelodendrimer and a lipid.

Any suitable membrane scaffold protein can be used in the nanodiscs ofthe present invention. Representative membrane scaffold proteinsinclude, but are not limited to, apolipoproteins A (including, forexample, apo A-1 and apo A-2), B, C, D, E, and H. In some embodiments,the membrane scaffold protein can be apolipoprotein. In someembodiments, the membrane scaffold protein can be apolipoprotein A-1.The membrane scaffold protein can be the full length protein, or atruncated version of the full length portion. In some embodiments, themembrane scaffold protein can be the truncated apolipoprotein A-1(Δ49A1).

The telodendrimers that are useful in the present invention aredescribed above and are amphiphilic conjugates having a hydrophilic PEGsegment and an amphiphilic or hydrophobic segment. The amphiphilicsegment of the telodendrimer can contain cholic acid, or other suitableamphiphilic moiety, which has a hydrophobic face and a hydrophilic face.The cholic acid and the PEG are connected by dendritic polymers that cancontain a variety of acid repeats units. Typically, the dendriticpolymers include a diamino carboxylic acid such as lysine.

The nanodiscs of the present invention can contain any suitable lipid,including cationic lipids, zwitterionic lipids, neutral lipids, oranionic lipids. Suitable lipids can include fats, waxes, steroids,cholesterol, fat-soluble vitamins, monoglycerides, diglycerides,phospholipids, sphingolipids, glycolipids, cationic or anionic lipids,derivatized lipids, and the like. In some embodiments, the nanodisccontains a lipid selected from a phospholipid, a lysolipid, cholesterol,a phosphatidylcholine, a phosphatidylethanolamine, aphosphatidylglycerol, a phosphatidylserine, a phosphatidylinositol and aPEGylated lipid.

Suitable phospholipids include but are not limited tophosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidic acid (PA),phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG),phosphatidylserine (PS), and phosphatidylinositol (PI), dimyristoylphosphatidyl choline (DMPC), distearoyl phosphatidyl choline (DSPC),dioleoyl phosphatidyl choline (DOPC), dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline(DPPC), dimyristoyl phosphatidyl glycerol (DMPG), distearoylphosphatidyl glycerol (DSPG), dioleoyl phosphatidyl glycerol (DOPG),dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl glycerol (DPPG), dimyristoyl phosphatidylserine (DMPS), distearoyl phosphatidyl serine (DSPS), dioleoylphosphatidyl serine (DOPS), dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl serine (DPPS),dioleoyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine (DOPE),palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC),palmitoyloleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (POPE) anddioleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine4-(N-maleimidomethyl)-cyclohexane-1-carboxylate (DOPE-mal), dipalmitoylphosphatidyl ethanolamine (DPPE), dimyristoylphosphoethanolamine (DMPE),distearoyl-phosphatidyl-ethanolamine (DSPE), 16-O-monomethyl PE,16-O-dimethyl PE, 18-1-trans PE,1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidyethanolamine (SOPE),1,2-dielaidoyl-sn-glycero-3-phophoethanolamine (transDOPE), andcardiolipin. Phospholipids can be lysolipids, which contain only onefatty acid moiety bonded to the glycerol subunit via an ester linkage.Lipid extracts, such as egg PC, heart extract, brain extract, liverextract, and soy PC, are also useful in the present invention. Thelipids can include derivatized lipids, such as PEGylated lipids.Derivatized lipids can include, for example, DSPE-PEG2000,cholesterol-PEG2000, DSPE-polyglycerol, or other derivatives generallyknown in the art.

Nanodiscs of the present invention can contain steroids, characterizedby the presence of a fused, tetracyclic nonane ring system. Examples ofsteroids include, but are not limited to, cholesterol, cholic acid,progesterone, cortisone, aldosterone, estradiol, testosterone, anddehydroepiandrosterone. Synthetic steroids and derivatives thereof arealso contemplated for use in the present invention.

The nanodiscs can contain cationic lipids, which contain positivelycharged functional groups under physiological conditions. Cationiclipids include, but are not limited to, N,N-dioleyl-N,N-dimethylammoniumchloride (DODAC), N,N-distearyl-N,N-dimethylammonium bromide (DDAB),N-(1-(2,3-dioleoyloxy)propyl)-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride (DOTAP),N-(1-(2,3-dioleyloxy)propyl)-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride (DOTMA),N-[1-(2,3,-ditetradecyloxy)propyl]-N,N-dimethyl-N-hydroxyethylammoniumbromide (DMRIE), N-[1-(2,3,dioleyloxy)propyl]-N,N-dimethyl-N-hydroxyethylammonium bromide (DORIE),3β-[N—(N′,N′-dimethylaminoethane)carbamoyl]cholesterol (DC-Chol),dimethyldioctadecylammonium (DDAB) andN,N-dimethyl-2,3-dioleyloxy)propylamine (DODMA).

In some embodiments, the nanodisc of the present invention includes alipid selected from 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC),1,2-ditetradecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC),1-tetradecanoyl-2-hexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (MPPC),1,2-dioctadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC),1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DSPE),1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPPE),1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1′-rac-glycerol) (DSPG),1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1′-rac-glycerol) (DPPG),1-tetradecanoyl-2-hexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (MPPG) andcholesterol. In some embodiments, the nanodisc contains a lipid of DMPC.

Any suitable combination of lipids can be used to provide the nanodiscsof the invention. The lipid compositions can be tailored to affectcharacteristics such as leakage rates, stability, particle size, zetapotential, protein binding, in vivo circulation, and/or accumulation intissues or organs. For example, negatively or positively lipids, such asDSPG and/or DOTAP, can be included to affect the surface charge of ananodisc. The lipid compositions can include about ten or fewer types oflipids, or about five or fewer types of lipids, or about three or fewertypes of lipids. In some embodiments, the lipid includes at least twodifferent lipids. The molar percentage (mol %) of a specific type oflipid present can be from about 0% to about 10%, from about 10% to about30%, from about 30% to about 50%, from about 50% to about 70%, fromabout 70% to about 90%, or from about 90% to 100% of the total lipidpresent in a nanodisc.

The nanodiscs of the invention may contain any suitable combination oflipids with telodendrimers and/or other components. The ratio of lipidto telodendrimer in the nanodisc, for example, can be from about 500:1to about 1:1 (w/w). For example, the ratio can be about 500:1, 400:1,300:1, 200:1, 100:1, 99:1, 95:1, 90:1, 80:1, 75:1, 70:1, 60:1, 50:1,40:1, 30:1, 25:1, 20:1, 15:1, 14:1, 13:1, 12:1, 10:1, 9:1, 8:1, 7:1,6:1, 5:1, 4:1, 3:1, 2:1 or 1:1 (w/w). In some embodiments, the ratio oflipid to telodendrimer is from about 200:1 to about 5:1 (w/w). In someembodiments, the ratio of lipid to telodendrimer is about 99:1 (w/w). Insome embodiments, the ratio of lipid to telodendrimer is about 9:1(w/w). Other weight ratios of lipid to telodendrimer can also be usefulin the present invention.

In some embodiments, any of the nanodiscs as described above furtherinclude a drug. The drug can be noncovalently sequestered in thenanodisc, covalently linked to a telodendrimer conjugate as an R groupas described above, covalently linked to the head group of the lipid, orotherwise associated with the nanodisc. Non-limiting examples of drugsthat can be included in the nanodiscs are bortezomib, paclitaxel, SN38,camptothecin, etoposide and doxorubicin, docetaxel, daunorubicin,prednisone, dexamethasone, vincristine, vinblastine, temsirolimus andcarmustine. Other suitable drugs include, but are not limited to,cytostatic agents, cytotoxic agents (such as for example, but notlimited to, DNA interactive agents (such as cisplatin or doxorubicin));taxanes (e.g. taxotere, taxol); topoisomerase II inhibitors (such asetoposide); topoisomerase I inhibitors (such as irinotecan (or CPT-11)or topotecan); tubulin interacting agents (such as paclitaxel, docetaxelor the epothilones); hormonal agents (such as tamoxifen); thymidilatesynthase inhibitors (such as 5-fluorouracil); anti-metabolites (such asmethotrexate); alkylating agents (such as temozolomide (TEMODAR™ fromSchering-Plough Corporation, Kenilworth, N.J.), cyclophosphamide);aromatase combinations; cytarabine (ara-C), doxorubicin,cyclophosphamide, and gemcitabine. Other drugs useful in the nanocarrierof the present invention include but are not limited to Uracil mustard,Chlormethine, Ifosfamide, Melphalan, Chlorambucil, Pipobroman,Triethylenemelamine, Triethylenethiophosphoramine, Busulfan, Carmustine,Lomustine, Streptozocin, Dacarbazine, Floxuridine, Cytarabine,6-Mercaptopurine, 6-Thioguanine, Fludarabine phosphate, oxaliplatin,leucovorin, oxaliplatin (ELOXATIN™ from Sanofi-SynthelaboPharmaceuticals, France), Pentostatin, Vinblastine, Vincristine,Vindesine, Bleomycin, Dactinomycin, Daunorubicin, Doxorubicin,Epirubicin, Idarubicin, Mithramycin, Deoxycoformycin, Mitomycin-C,L-Asparaginase, Teniposide 17α-Ethinylestradiol, Diethylstilbestrol,Testosterone, Prednisone, Fluoxymesterone, Dromostanolone propionate,Testolactone, Megestrolacetate, Methylprednisolone, Methyltestosterone,Prednisolone, Triamcinolone, Chlorotrianisene, Hydroxyprogesterone,Aminoglutethimide, Estramustine, Medroxyprogesteroneacetate, Leuprolide,Flutamide, Toremifene, goserelin, Cisplatin, Carboplatin, Hydroxyurea,Amsacrine, Procarbazine, Mitotane, Mitoxantrone, Levamisole, Navelbene,Anastrazole, Letrazole, Capecitabine, Raloxifene, Droloxafine, orHexamethylmelamine. Prodrug forms are also useful in the presentinvention. Other drugs useful in the present invention also includeradionuclides, such as ⁶⁷Cu, ⁹⁰Y, ¹²³I, ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ¹⁷⁷Lu, ¹⁸⁸Re, ¹⁸⁶Reand ²¹¹At. In some embodiments, the nanodiscs of the present inventioninclude a drug selected from amphotericin B and SN38.

The nanodiscs can also include additional components such as diagnosticagents. A diagnostic agent used in the present invention can include anydiagnostic agent known in the art, as provided, for example, in thefollowing references: Armstrong et al., Diagnostic Imaging, 5^(th) Ed.,Blackwell Publishing (2004); Torchilin, V. P., Ed., Targeted Delivery ofImaging Agents, CRC Press (1995); Vallabhajosula, S., Molecular Imaging:Radiopharmaceuticals for PET and SPECT, Springer (2009). A diagnosticagent can be detected by a variety of ways, including as an agentproviding and/or enhancing a detectable signal that includes, but is notlimited to, gamma-emitting, radioactive, echogenic, optical,fluorescent, absorptive, magnetic or tomography signals. Techniques forimaging the diagnostic agent can also include single photon emissioncomputed tomography (SPECT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), opticalimaging, positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT),x-ray imaging, gamma ray imaging, and the like. A diagnostic agent caninclude chelators that bind to metal ions to be used for a variety ofdiagnostic imaging techniques. A radioisotope can be incorporated intosome of the diagnostic agents described herein and can includeradionuclides that emit gamma rays, positrons, beta and alpha particles,and X-rays. The diagnostic agents can include optical agents such asfluorescent agents, phosphorescent agents, chemiluminescent agents, andthe like. Numerous agents (e.g., dyes, probes, labels, or indicators)are known in the art and can be used in the present invention. (See,e.g., Invitrogen, The Handbook—A Guide to Fluorescent Probes andLabeling Technologies, Tenth Edition (2005)). The diagnostic agents caninclude magnetic resonance (MR) and x-ray contrast agents that are knownin the art, including, for example, iodine-based x-ray contrast agents,superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO), complexes of gadolinium ormanganese, and the like. (See, e.g., Armstrong et al., DiagnosticImaging, 5^(th) Ed., Blackwell Publishing (2004)). The diagnostic agentscan be associated with the nanodiscs in a variety of ways including, forexample, being covalently bound to a nanodisc component or noncovalentlyembedded or encapsulated in the nanodisc.

The nanodiscs can also include one or more targeting agents. Generally,a targeting agent can associate with any target of interest, such as atarget associated with an organ, tissues, cell, extracellular matrix, orintracellular region. A target can be associated with a particulardisease state, such as a cancerous condition. The targeting componentcan be specific to only one target, such as a receptor. Suitable targetscan include but are not limited to a nucleic acid, such as a DNA, RNA,or modified derivatives thereof. Suitable targets can also include butare not limited to a protein, such as an extracellular protein, areceptor, a cell surface receptor, a tumor-marker, a transmembraneprotein, an enzyme, or an antibody. The target can also be acarbohydrate, such as a monosaccharide, disaccharide, or polysaccharidethat can be, for example, present on the surface of a cell. Thetargeting agent can be a target ligand (e.g., an RGD-containingpeptide), a small molecule mimic of a target ligand (e.g., a peptidemimetic ligand), or an antibody or antibody fragment specific for aparticular target. Targeting agents can further include folic acidderivatives, B-12 derivatives, NGR derivatives, somatostatin derivativesor peptides that bind to the somatostatin receptor, e.g., octreotide andoctreotate, and the like. The targeting agents can also include anaptamer. Aptamers can be designed to associate with or bind to a targetof interest. Aptamers can be comprised of, for example, DNA, RNA, and/orpeptides, and certain aspects of aptamers are well known in the art.(See. e.g., Klussman, S., Ed., The Aptamer Handbook, Wiley-VCH (2006);Nissenbaum, E. T., Trends in Biotech. 26(8): 442-449 (2008)). Thetargeting agents can be associated with the nanodiscs in a variety ofways including, for example, being covalently bound to a nanodisccomponent or noncovalently embedded or encapsulated in the nanodisc. Inparticular, pathogen-, tissue-, or tumor-specific ligands can becovalently conjugated to the distal end of the PEG segment in thetelodendrimer during synthesis to allow for targeted drug delivery.

Any measuring technique available in the art can be used to determineproperties of the nanodiscs. For example, techniques such as dynamiclight scattering, x-ray photoelectron microscopy, powder x-raydiffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electronmicroscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) can be used todetermine average size and dispersity of the nanodiscs. In general, thenanodiscs of the present invention are less than one micron in diameter.The diameter of the nanodiscs can be from about 25 nm to about 900 nm indiameter, or from about 50 nm to about 750 nm in diameter, or from about100 nm to about 500 nm in diameter. In some embodiments, the nanodisc isless than about 1000 nm in diameter. In some embodiments, the nanodiscis less that about 100 nm in diameter. In some embodiments, the nanodiscis less that about 10 nm in diameter. The diameter of the nanodisc mayalso be less than 900 nm, or less than 800 nm, or less than 700 nm, orless than 500 nm, or less than 400 nm, or less than 300 nm, or less than200 nm, or less than 75 nm, or less than 50 nm, or less than 40 nm, orless than 30 nm, or less than 20 nm, or less than 10 nm.

V. Methods of Making Nanodiscs

The apolipoprotein-telodendrimer nanodiscs of the present invention canbe prepared by any methods known in the art. These methods can becell-based methods or cell-free methods, and generally involve forming avesicle of the telodendrimer and lipid, followed by addition of amembrane scaffold protein, such as apolipoprotein, to form the nanodiscsof the present invention. In some embodiments, the method is a cell-freemethod.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a cell-free methodof making a nanodisc. The method includes forming a vesicle having atelodendrimer and a lipid, wherein the ratio of lipid to telodendrimeris from about 500:1 to about 1:1 (w/w). The method also includes forminga reaction mixture of the vesicle and a membrane scaffold protein in theabsence of a cell, thereby preparing the nanodisc.

The cell-free process to produce NLPs in the presence of additionaladditives is outlined in FIG. 1. Plasmid and telodendrimers werepremixed with DMPC lipids, and added directly to cell free reactions toproduce fully assembled nanoparticles. The NLPs were then separated withaffinity purification. The entire process was completed in 4-24 hoursand depended on the desired yield of total protein. Other additives suchas fluorescent dyes used for visualization or membraneproteins/receptors encoded on plasmids were also included in somereactions.

Any membrane scaffold protein is suitable in the methods of the presentinvention. Representative membrane scaffold proteins are describedabove, and include, but are not limited to, apolipoprotein. In someembodiments, the membrane scaffold protein is apolipoprotein. In someembodiments, the apolipoprotein is apolipoprotein-A1. In someembodiments, the membrane scaffold protein can be the truncatedapolipoprotein A-1 (Δ49A1).

Other optional components include lysates, buffers and polymerases. Anysuitable lysate can be used, such as that provided by Santa CruzBiotechnology. The reaction mixture can also include any suitablebuffer, such as the Reaction Buffer, or PBS buffer. Suitable buffersinclude, but are not limited to, citric acid, acetic acid, dipotassiumphosphate (K₂HPO₄), N-cyclohexyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (CHES),borate, TAPS, bicine, tris, tricine, TAPSO, HEPES, TES, MOPS, PIPES,cacodylate, SSC, MES and succinic acid.

The reaction mixture can also include any suitable polymerase.Representative polymerases are described above. In some embodiments, thepolymerase can be an RNA polymerase. The RNA polymerase can be suitablefor preparing RNA from a DNA sequence, such as the apolipoprotein DNAsequence. In some embodiments, the polymerase can be RNA polymerase I,RNA polymerase II, RNA polymerase III or T7 RNA polymerase.

The nanodiscs of the invention can be prepared using any suitable ratioof lipid to telodendrimer. The ratio of lipid to telodendrimer in thenanodisc, for example, can be from about 500:1 to about 1:1 (w/w). Forexample, the ratio can be about 500:1, 400:1, 300:1, 200:1, 100:1, 99:1,95:1, 90:1, 80:1, 75:1, 70:1, 60:1, 50:1, 40:1, 30:1, 25:1, 20:1, 15:1,14:1, 13:1, 12:1, 10:1, 9:1, 8:1, 7:1, 6:1, 5:1, 4:1, 3:1, 2:1 or 1:1(w/w). In some embodiments, the ratio of lipid to telodendrimer is fromabout 200:1 to about 5:1 (w/w). In some embodiments, the ratio of lipidto telodendrimer is about 99:1 (w/w). In some embodiments, the ratio oflipid to telodendrimer is about 9:1 (w/w). Other weight ratios of lipidto telodendrimer can also be useful in the present invention.

Any other suitable combination of lipids with telodendrimers and/orother components, as described above, can also be employed in themethods of the present invention. Still other weight ratios of lipid totelodendrimer may also be useful in the methods of the presentinvention. The methods may further include incorporation of additionalcomponents, such as drugs, diagnostic agents, and targeting agents, asdescribed above, into the reaction mixture.

The reaction mixture generally includes a solvent or a mixture ofsolvents. In some embodiments, the reaction mixture further includes asolvent mixture. In general, the solvent mixture contains two or moresolvents selected to sufficiently solubilize the lipid component and thetelodendrimer component of the reaction mixture as well as anyadditional components. Suitable solvents include, but are not limitedto, chloroform, dichloromethane, ethanol, methanol, acetone, hexanes,petroleum ether, diethyl ether, dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, and water.

In some embodiments, the method further includes contacting thedispersed lipid-telodendrimer mixture with a drug such that the drug isloaded into the nanodisc. The drug can be included in the solvent priorto contacting the lyophilized reaction mixture, or the drug may be addedto the dispersed lipid-telodendrimer mixture after dispersion with thesolvent. The dispersed lipid-telodendrimer mixture may be contacted withthe drug for any amount of time sufficient to load the drug into thenanodiscs. So-called “passive” loading techniques involve theincorporation of drugs into a nanodisc during the nanodisc self-assemblyprocess in solution, such that the drug is encapsulated or embeddedwithin the nanodisc. Alternatively, the drugs can be actively loadedinto nanodiscs. For example, the nanodiscs can be exposed to conditions,such as electroporation, in which the bilayer membrane is made permeableto a solution containing therapeutic agent thereby allowing for the drugto enter into the nanodisc. Loading of the nanodiscs with drugs or othercomponents can be carried out via other methods known in the art, asdisclosed for example in the following references: de Villiers, M. M. etal., Eds., Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery, Springer (2009);Gregoriadis, G., Ed., Liposome Technology: Entrapment of drugs and othermaterials into liposomes, CRC Press (2006).

The methods of the invention may optionally include additional stepssuch as sonication and/or freeze-thaw cycles to aid in dispersion andself-assembly, extrusion to yield nanodiscs with homogenous size andshape, dialysis to remove or exchange soluble species such as unbounddrugs and buffer salts, and other steps. These optional steps may occurat any time during the methods of the invention.

VI. Examples Example 1 Preparation of Nanodiscs with Apoliprotein andTelodendrimers

Methods

Plasmids:

The truncated form of Apo A1 (Δ1-49) or Δ49ApoA1 was cloned intopIVEX2.4d using NdeI and SmaI restriction sites. This vector contained aHis-tag used for nickel affinity purification as previously described(cappuccino et al 2008).

Preparation of the Telodendrimers:

We have previously published on the use of telodendrimers for NLPoptimization (Luo et al). PEG^(5k)-CA₈ and related cholesterol or cholicacid based amphiphilic polymers, were prepared according to thepublished methods. For the telodendrimer-lipid mixtures a total of 25mg/mL DMPC and each individual polymer were mixed at different molarratios at an approximate 0.5-10%. The mixtures of DMPC/polymer were thensonicated for 15 min, or until optical clarity was achieved. Sampleswere kept on ice during the entire sonication process. After thesonication, samples were centrifuged at 13000 RCF for 2 mins to removeany metal contamination from the probe tip.

DMPC/Polymer Preparation:

Small unilamellar vesicles of DMPC (Avanti) were prepared by probesonication of a 25 mg/mL aqueous solution of DMPC until optical claritywas achieved; typically 15 min was sufficient. Samples were kept on iceduring the sonication process. After the sonication, the samples werecentrifuged at 13000 RCF for 2 minutes to remove metal contaminationfrom the probe tip. Telodendrimes lipid mixtures were created with theabove method with a total of 25 mg/mL DMPC and each individual polymermixed at varying molar ratios between approximately 0.5-10%. 0.1%TexasRed-POPC (Invitrogen) was added to the DMPC solution beforesonication if a fluorescent label on the NLP complex was desired.

Cell-Free Reactions:

Small-scale reactions (100 uL) or large scale (1 mL) were carried outusing the Invitrogen's Expressway Maxi kit. Reaction components (Lysate,Reaction buffer, T7 Polymerase, Amino Acid Mix, and Methionine) werecombined as specified by the manufacturer. 10 μg of Δ49ApoA1 DNA wasadded to each 1 mL reaction. To each 1 mL reaction, 2 mg DMPC/polymermixture was then added. The reactions were incubated at 30° C., withshaking at 990 rpm for 2-18 hrs in thermomixer.

Affinity Purification of NLP Complexes:

Immobilized metal affinity chromatography was used to isolate theprotein of interest (Δ49ApoA1) from the cell-free reaction mixture. 2 mlof 50% slurry nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid Superflow resin (Qiagen) wasequilibrated with PBS (50 mM Na2HPO4, 300 mM NaCl, pH 8.0) under nativeconditions in a 10 mL capped column. Mixed the total cell free reaction(1 ml) with the equilibrated resin, and was incubated/nutated on ice for2 hr. 1 ml of slurry and 5 mL capped column were used for thepurification from small-scale reactions. The column was then washed withincreasing concentrations of imidazole 10, 20 and 50 mM in the mentionedPBS buffer. Two column volumes (CV) of each wash buffer were used for atotal of 6 CVs of washing. The His-tagged proteins of interest wereeluted in six 1 mL fractions of 400 mM imidazole, PBS buffer. Allelutions were combined, dialyzed against PBS for 18 hrs at 4° C. withstirring. After that, the combined elution was concentrated using a 100KMWCO molecular weight sieve filters (Vivascience) to a volume of ˜200uL.

Size Exclusion Chromatography:

The NLPs were resolved by HPLC (Shimadzu) using a Superdex 200 10/300 GLcolumn (GE Healthcare) with TBS running buffer (10 mM Tris pH 7.4; 0.15MNaCl; 0.25 mM EDTA, 0.005% NaN3) at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min. Thecolumn was calibrated with four protein standards (HMW Gel FiltrationCalibration kit, GE Healthcare) of known molecular weight and Stokesdiameter that span the separation range of the column and the NLPsamples. The void volume was established with blue dextran.

SDS PAGE:

10 μL aliquot of the purified NLPs or lipid micelles were mixed with 10μL 2×LDS Sample buffer with reducing agents (Invitrogen), heat denaturedand loaded on to a 4-12% gradient pre-made Bis-Tris gel (Invitrogen)along with the molecular weight standard NovexSharp (Invitrogen). Therunning buffer was 1×MES-SDS (Invitrogen). Samples were electrophoresedfor 38 minutes at 200V. Gels were stained with coomassie brilliant blue.

Native PAGE:

10 μL aliquot of the purified NLPs or lipid micelles were mixed with 2×native gel sample buffer (Life Technologies:Invitrogen) and loaded onto4-12% gradient pre-made Tris-glycine gels (LifeTechnologies:Invitrogen). Samples were electrophoresed for 2 hours at125 V. After electrophoresis, gels were imaged using the laser (488 nm)of a Typhoon 9410 (GE Healthcare) with a 520 nm bandpass 30 filter forthe detection of the produced NLPs with incorporated FITC labeledpolymer. For detection of the produced NLPs with incorporatedTexasRed-POPC, the laser (532 nm) with a 610 nm bandpass 30 filter isused. Molecular weights were determined by comparing migration vs. logmolecular weight of standard proteins found in the NativeMark standard(Life Technologies:Invitrogen).

Dynamic Light Scattering:

The measurements were performed on a Nanotrac Particle Size Analyzer(Microtrac). Light from a laser diode was coupled to the sample throughan optical beam splitter in the Nanotrac probe assembly. The interfacebetween the sample and the probe was a sapphire window at the probe tip.The sapphire window reflected the original laser back through the beamsplitter to a photodetector. This signal with the same frequency as theoriginal laser acted as a reference signal for detection, offeringheterodyne detection. The laser passed through the sapphire window andwas scattered by the particles, which were in suspension but movingunder Brownian motion. The laser was frequency shifted according to theDoppler Effect relative to the velocity of the particle. Light wasscattered in all directions including 180 degrees backwards. Thisscattered, frequency shifted light was transmitted through the sapphirewindow to the optical splitter in the probe to the photodetector. Thesesignals of various frequencies combined with the reflected signal ofun-shifted frequency (Controlled Reference) to generate a wide spectrumof heterodyne difference frequencies. The power spectrum of theinterference signal was calculated. The power spectrum was then invertedto give the particle size distribution.

Cryo Transmission Electron Microscopy.

All samples were preserved as a frozen hydrated specimen in the presenceof saturated ammonium molybdata and examined with a JEOL JEM-2100Ftransmission electron microscope at magnification of 80,000× underliquid nitrogen temperature. Clusters of NLPs were found with plain NLPsample, while only a few clusters of NLPs were found with telodendrimerNLPs. Majority of the NLPs are shown inside views. A few of themappeared in their top view. Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was added asreference to indicate the quality of cryo-EM preparation, as well as theinternal calibration of microscope magnification. The size of thenanoparticles varied from 10 nm to 15 nm.

Solution Phase Characterization Using Flourescent CorrelationSpectroscopy (FCS).

Characterization of nano-particles and their dynamic shape andassociation in solution remains a challenge, which we have addressedusing FCS performed on a MicroTime 200 single molecule fluorescencelifetime measurement system (PicoQuant). FCS is capable of measuringmolecular diffusion statistics in solution with sensitivity for singlemolecule fluorescence. This allows us to rapidly and accuratelydetermine the hydrodynamic radii of the newly formed nano-complexes inan aqueous environment. Complimentary techniques such as dynamic lightscattering (DLS) performed on a Nanotrac Particle Size Analyzer(Microtrac) and potentially atomic force microscopy (AFM) can be used tofurther validate FCS data.

TABLE 1 NLP size and level of aggregation with and withouttelodendrimers. NLP size Aggregate Additive M.W.^(a) (nm)^(b) S.D.^(c)%^(d) μg/mL PEG^(2K)-D-CA₄   4 kDa 6.76 0.30 0.00 PEG^(2K)-D-CA₈   6 kDa13.32 ND 1.00 PEG^(5K)-D-CF₄   7 kDa 27.14 5.32 15.00 750 PEG^(5K)-D-CF₈  9 kDa 17.58 4.59 16.00 DMPC 0.68 kDa 40.30 1.27 100.00 190^(a)Molecular weight of additive telodendrimer or lipid alone.^(b)Resulting size of monodispersed NLPs as measured by Dynamic lightscatter. ^(c)Standard deviation between replicate experiments.^(d)Dynamic light scattering measure of aggregated material.Results

Telodendrimer Addition Increases the Soluble Yield of Nanoparticles.

A total of 1 ml of cell-free reaction with and without telodendrimerwere used to compare protein yield and solubility of the NLP product(FIG. 1). Several types of telodendrimers were utilized as depicted inTable 1. Telodendrimer molecules used included: PEG^(2k)-CA₄ containing4 cholic acid molecules linked to a single linear PEG chain (2 kDa);PEG^(2k)-CA₈) containing 8 cholic acid molecules linked to a singlelinear PEG chain (2 kDa); PEG^(5k)-CF₄ containing 4 cholesterolmolecules linked to a single linear PEG chain (5 kDa); PEG^(5k)-CA₈containing 8 cholic acid molecules linked to a single linear PEG chain(5 kDa). A 4-12% SDS-PAGE gel was used to separate the products andnickel affinity chromatography was used for purification. The profile ofNLP or telodendrimer conjugated NLP is shown in FIG. 2. We noted a 2-4fold increase of soluble telodendrimer conjugated NLP produced whencompared to NLP alone. As seen in FIG. 2, the PEG^(5k)-CA₈ telodendrimerreaction yielded approximately 750 ug/mL of Telo-NLP, compared to 190ug/mL of NLP alone. This difference appeared to be independent of thetotal amount of delta-ApoA1 protein produced.

Telodendrimers Impacted the Size and Level of Aggregation ofNanoparticles.

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to evaluate the size andmonodispersity of the NLPs compared to Telo-NLPs. The overall size ofthe NLPs were dependent upon the length of the incorporated PEGmolecule. The PEG^(2K) Telo-NLPs ranged in size from 7 to 13 nm, whilethe PEG^(5K)Telo-NLPs were 15 to 30 nm in diameter based on DLS traces(FIG. 3. Panel C). Previously reported studies have shown that NLPsalone measure approximately 8 nm in solution when dispersed (Gao et al.,2011). Changing the amount of telodendrimer added to the NLP assemblyprocess over a range of 1-10% of total lipid did not significantly alterthe overall size of the Telo-NLPs (FIG. 3. Panel A,C).

NLP aggregation appears to be size dependent, with larger telodendrimermolecules exhibiting higher levels of aggregation. The overall levelTelo-NLPs aggregation rate was reduced 10-100 times compared to NLPsassembled only in the presences of DMPC alone (FIG. 3. Panel A,B).Increases in the amount of telodendrimer to lipid ratio (>10%), wasassociated with greater levels of aggregation (data not shown). Therewere no significant changes in NLP size or aggregation when adjustingfor telodendrimers containing cholate or cholesterol head groups overthe 1-10% telodendrimer to lipid ratio.

Telo-NLP Complexes are Disc Like in Shape.

FIG. 4 illustrates in Cryo TEM images that NLPs are discoidal in shapewith height dimensions consistent with previously published images ofNLPs and nanodisc that are based on phospholipid bilayers with diametersaveraging about 10 nm. Three assemblies are shown in FIG. 4, with DMPCalone (panel A) and two types of telodendrimers (panel B, C). Unlikeprevious reports, NLPs alone (panel A) in our study exhibited largeclustering rather than stacked particles, or “rouleaux,” which may beattributable to the inclusion of tobacco virus particles in this study.

FCS analysis has been used to topologically confirm telodendrimerassociation and labeling of NLP (Gao et.' al 2011). Cell-free reactionswere used to assemble NLPs tagged with Bodipy®-FL, which included TexasRed labels within the complex. As seen in FIG. 5, both NLP and Telo-NLPcomplex (identified by cross-correlating Bodipy/FITC and Texas Red inthe complex) diffused significantly faster than DMPC vesicles alone, butslower than the protein Δ49ApoA1 (apolipoprotein without any DMPC). Inaddition, native gel electrophoresis was used to compare the molecularweight of NLPs to Telo-NLPs. The size of the NLPs approximated 240 kDa(data not shown), which was consistent with the FCS analysis.

Telo-NLPs Support Incorporation of Functional Intergral MembraneProteins.

It has been previously shown, that bacteriorhodopsin (bR; a seventransmembrane helical protein, from Halobacterium salinarium) can berobustly co-expressed and assembled into NLPs for biophysicalcharacterization (cappuccino et al. 2008; Katzen et al., 2008; Gao etal., 2011). In this study, assembly of the soluble bR-NLP complex wasobserved within 4 h after addition of plasmids to an E. coli cell-freelysate (FIG. 6, panel A). Addition of telodendrimers to the cell-freereaction did not affect bR function as indicated by the pink colorationof the tubes, which is an indication of proper folding and function.Production of similar amounts of total bR protein with and withouttelodendrimers was also observed (FIG. 6, panel B).

Telodendrimer addition can increase the soluble yield of nanoparticles.A total of 1 ml of cell-free reactions with and without TelodendrimerDMPC were used to compare protein yield as well as solubility for NLPpurification (FIG. 1, panel A). Several different types oftelodendrimers as shown in Table 1. Telodendrimer molecules used were:PEG^(2k)-CA₄ containing 4 Cholesterol molecules linked to a singlelinear PEG molecule (2 kDa); PEG^(2k)-CA₈) containing 8 Cholesterolmolecules linked to a single linear PEG molecule (2 kDa); PEG^(5k)-CF₄containing 4 cholic acid molecules linked to a single linear PEGmolecule (5 kDa); PEG^(5k)-CF₈ containing 8 cholic acid molecules linkedto a single linear PEG molecule (5 kDa). A 4-25% SDS-PAGE gel was usedto generate a typical profile for a NLP or Telo-NLP purification usingnickel affinity chromatography as shown in FIG. 2. In typical reactionsa general increase of 2-4 fold of soluble Telo-NLPLs was noted comparedto NLPs alone. For example using the PEG^(5k)-CF₈ telodendrimer yieldedapproximately 750 ug/mL of Telo-NLP compared to 190 ug/mL of NLP. Thisdifference did not appear to be related to the total amount ofdelta-ApoA1 protein produced, see FIG. 2 lanes containing total proteinlysates from the cell-free reaction. This appears to reflect increase inthe amount of soluble NLP produced by the addition of the telodendrimer(See FIG. 2. elution lanes).

Telodendrimers impact the size and level of aggregation level ofnanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to look at thesize and general monodispersity of the NLPs compared to the Telo-NLPs.The telodendrimer molecules impacted the size of the nanolipoproteinparticles depending on the length of the PEG linear molecule. Table 1.list the DLS diameters and levels of aggregation. The PEG^(2K) moleculesranged in size between 7 and 13 nm, while the PEG^(5K)Telo-NLPs were18-27 nm in diameter based on DLS traces (FIG. 3). The known diameter ofthe NLPs alone was 40 nm, but this size was most likely due to the levelof aggregation of the samples, which was consistently seen acrossreplicate experiments. Previously reported studies have shown that NLPsare around 8 nm in solution when dispersed. There was also a sizedependence for the level of aggregation with the larger telodendrimermolecules having a higher level of aggregation. Interestingly, theselevels were 10-100 times less than the level of aggregation seen in theNLP alone sample. Thus indicating an increased monodispersity byinclusion of the telodendrimers in the cell-free reactions. Altering theamount of telodendrimer added to the NLP assembly process over a rangeof 0.5-10% of total lipid did not alter the general size of theTelo-NLPs (FIG. 4.). However, greater increases (>10%) in the amount oftelodendrimer to lipid ratio did cause greater levels of aggregation. Nosignificant change was observed in the size or aggregation level for thedifference in the number of cholate or cholesterol tails over the0.5-10% ratio.

Telo-NLP complexes are disc like in shape. A. FIG. 5. micrographs showNLPs whose dimensions are consistent with previously describedobservations. Three of these assemblies made are shown, with DMPC (panelA) and two different assemblies with telodendrimers (panel B). Unlikeprevious reports, we observed large clustering of the NLPs rather thanstacked particles—described as “rouleaux”. Combined, EM data suggestsdiscoidal structures with height dimensions consistent with aphospholipid bilayer and a diameters of about 10-25 nm. Telodendrimeraddition during assembly clearly changed the aggregation status of theparticles as shown in FIG. 5. panel B.

FCS analysis was also used to compare the NLP assemblies and demonstratethat the telodendrimer molecules were associated with the NLP.Importantly, FCS can also be used to illustrate labeling of the NLP via.the telodendrimer and to potentially confirm other topological featuresof the particles. Cell-free were assembled NLPs tagged with Bodipy®-FLand included Texas Red labels within the complex. The Telo-NLPs werelabelled with FITC directly coupled to the telodendrimers and includedTexas Red labels on the lipids. As seen in FIG. 6, both the NLP andTelo-NLP complex (identified by cross-correlating Bodipy and Texas Redin the complex) diffused significantly faster than DMPC vesicles alone.However, this diffusion time was also significantly slower than Δ49A1(apolipoprotein without any DMPC), providing further evidence for thecomplex formation.

Telo-NLPs support assembly of a functional membrane protein. Assembly ofthe soluble bacteriorhodopsin-NLP (bR-NLP) complex was observed within 4h after addition of plasmids to an E. coli cell-free lysate (FIG. 7).Addition of telodendrimers to the cell-free reaction did not inhibitbacteriorhodopsin (bR) function as indicated by pink coloration of thetubes. The coloration is an indicator of function because it only occurswith proper folding and function of bR. The results indicated productionof similar amounts of total bR protein produced with or withouttelodendrimers. As previously reported, the size range of NLPs wasapproximately 240 kDa with a smear on the gel that represented aheterogeneous size distribution, where Telo-NLP complex were slightlylarger than NLPs alone. Some Telo-NLP complex heterogeneity was alsoobserved by native gel electrophoresis. This heterogeneity may have beendue to multiple telodendrimer interactions within the NLPs, which couldpotentially modify protein-lipid interactions.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail byway of illustration and example for purposes of clarity ofunderstanding, one of skill in the art will appreciate that certainchanges and modifications may be practiced within the scope of theappended claims. In addition, each reference provided herein isincorporated by reference in its entirety to the same extent as if eachreference was individually incorporated by reference. Where a conflictexists between the instant application and a reference provided herein,the instant application shall dominate.

SEQUENCES SEQ ID NO: 1 (Homo sapiens apolipoprotein A-1(APOA1), cDNA, NM_000039.1)AGAGACTGCGAGAAGGAGGTCCCCCACGGCCCTTCAGGATGAAAGCTGCGGTGCTGACCTTGGCCGTGCTCTTCCTGACGGGGAGCCAGGCTCGGCATTTCTGGCAGCAAGATGAACCCCCCCAGAGCCCCTGGGATCGAGTGAAGGACCTGGCCACTGTGTACGTGGATGTGCTCAAAGACAGCGGCAGAGACTATGTGTCCCAGTTTGAAGGCTCCGCCTTGGGAAAACAGCTAAACCTAAAGCTCCTTGACAACTGGGACAGCGTGACCTCCACCTTCAGCAAGCTGCGCGAACAGCTCGGCCCTGTGACCCAGGAGTTCTGGGATAACCTGGAAAAGGAGACAGAGGGCCTGAGGCAGGAGATGAGCAAGGATCTGGAGGAGGTGAAGGCCAAGGTGCAGCCCTACCTGGACGACTTCCAGAAGAAGTGGCAGGAGGAGATGGAGCTCTACCGCCAGAAGGTGGAGCCGCTGCGCGCAGAGCTCCAAGAGGGCGCGCGCCAGAAGCTGCACGAGCTGCAAGAGAAGCTGAGCCCACTGGGCGAGGAGATGCGCGACCGCGCGCGCGCCCATGTGGACGCGCTGCGCACGCATCTGGCCCCCTACAGCGACGAGCTGCGCCAGCGCTTGGCCGCGCGCCTTGAGGCTCTCAAGGAGAACGGCGGCGCCAGACTGGCCGAGTACCACGCCAAGGCCACCGAGCATCTGAGCACGCTCAGCGAGAAGGCCAAGCCCGCGCTCGAGGACCTCCGCCAAGGCCTGCTGCCCGTGCTGGAGAGCTTCAAGGTCAGCTTCCTGAGCGCTCTCGAGGAGTACACTAAGAAGCTCAACACCCAGTGAGGCGCCCGCCGCCGCCCCCCTTCCCGGTGCTCAGAATAAA CGTTTCCAAAGTGGGSEQ ID NO: 2 (Homo sapiens Δ49 apolipoprotein A-1 (Δ49A1), cDNA)AGCGGCAGAGACTATGTGTCCCAGTTTGAAGGCTCCGCCTTGGGAAAACAGCTAAACCTAAAGCTCCTTGACAACTGGGACAGCGTGACCTCCACCTTCAGCAAGCTGCGCGAACAGCTCGGCCCTGTGACCCAGGAGTTCTGGGATAACCTGGAAAAGGAGACAGAGGGCCTGAGGCAGGAGATGAGCAAGGATCTGGAGGAGGTGAAGGCCAAGGTGCAGCCCTACCTGGACGACTTCCAGAAGAAGTGGCAGGAGGAGATGGAGCTCTACCGCCAGAAGGTGGAGCCGCTGCGCGCAGAGCTCCAAGAGGGCGCGCGCCAGAAGCTGCACGAGCTGCAAGAGAAGCTGAGCCCACTGGGCGAGGAGATGCGCGACCGCGCGCGCGCCCATGTGGACGCGCTGCGCACGCATCTGGCCCCCTACAGCGACGAGCTGCGCCAGCGCTTGGCCGCGCGCCTTGAGGCTCTCAAGGAGAACGGCGGCGCCAGACTGGCCGAGTACCACGCCAAGGCCACCGAGCATCTGAGCACGCTCAGCGAGAAGGCCAAGCCCGCGCTCGAGGACCTCCGCCAAGGCCTGCTGCCCGTGCTGGAGAGCTTCAAGGTCAGCTTCCTGAGCGCTCTCGAGGAGTACACTAAGAAGCTCAACACCCAGTGAGGCGCCCGCCGCCGCCCCCCTTCCCGGTGCTCAGAATAAACGTTTCCAAAGTGGGSEQ ID NO: 3 (Homo sapiens apolipoprotein A-1(APOA1), protein, NP_000030.1)MKAAVLTLAVLFLTGSQARHFWQQDEPPQSPWDRVKDLATVYVDVLKDSGRDYVSQFEGSALGKQLNLKLLDNWDSVTSTFSKLREQLGPVTQEFWDNLEKETEGLRQEMSKDLEEVKAKVQPYLDDFQKKWQEEMELYRQKVEPLRAELQEGARQKLHELQEKLSPLGEEMRDRARAHVDALRTHLAPYSDELRQRLAARLEALKENGGARLAEYHAKATEHLSTLSEKAKPALEDLRQGLLPV LESFKVSFLSALEEYTKKLNTQSEQ ID NO: 4 (Homo sapiens Δ49 apolipoprotein A-I (Δ49A1), protein)SGRDYVSQFEGSALGKQLNLKLLDNWDSVTSTFSKLREQLGPVTQEFWDNLEKETEGLRQEMSKDLEEVKAKVQPYLDDFQKKWQEEMELYRQKVEPLRAELQEGARQKLHELQEKLSPLGEEMRDRARAHVDALRTHLAPYSDELRQRLAARLEALKENGGARLAEYHAKATEHLSTLSEKAKPALEDLRQGLLPVLESFKVSFLSALEEYTKKLNTQ

What is claimed is:
 1. A nanodisc comprising: a membrane scaffoldprotein; a telodendrimer; and a lipid.
 2. The nanodisc of claim 1,wherein the membrane scaffold protein is apolipoprotein.
 3. The nanodiscof claim 1, wherein the telodendrimer has the formula:PEG-D-(R)_(n) wherein D is a dendritic polymer having a single focalgroup and a plurality of end groups; PEG is polyethyleneglycol (PEG) of1-100 kDa linked to the focal group of the dendritic polymer; each R isindependently selected from the group consisting of the end group of thedendritic polymer and an amphiphilic compound, such that when R is notan end group each R is linked to one of the end groups; and subscript nis an integer from 2 to 20, wherein subscript n is equal to the numberof end groups on the dendritic polymer, and wherein at least half thenumber n of R's are each an amphiphilic compound.
 4. The nanodisc ofclaim 3, wherein the dendritic polymer is a poly(lysine) dendriticpolymer wherein each end group is hydroxy.
 5. The nanodisc of claim 3,wherein each amphiphilic compound is cholic acid (CA).
 6. The nanodiscof claim 5, wherein the telodendrimer is selected from the groupconsisting of PEG^(5k)-D-CA₈, PEG^(5k)-D-CA₄ and PEG^(2k)-D-CA₄, whereineach dendritic polymer D is a poly(lysine) dendritic polymer whereineach end group is hydroxy.
 7. The nanodisc of claim 1, wherein the lipidis selected from the group consisting of a phospholipid, cholesterol, aphosphatidylcholine, a phosphatidylethanolamine, a phosphatidylglycerol,a phosphatidylserine, and a phosphatidylinositol.
 8. The nanodisc ofclaim 7, wherein the lipid is selected from the group consisting of1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC),1,2-ditetradecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC),1-tetradecanoyl-2-hexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (MPPC),1,2-dioctadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC),1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DSPE),1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPPE),1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1′-rac-glycerol) (DSPG),1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1′-rac-glycerol)(DPPG),1-tetradecanoyl-2-hexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol(MPPG) and cholesterol.
 9. The nanodisc of claim 7, wherein the lipid isDMPC.
 10. The nanodisc of claim 1, further comprising a drug.
 11. Thenanodisc of claim 10, wherein the drug is selected from the groupconsisting of amphotericin B and SN38.
 12. The nanodisc of claim 1,wherein the nanodisc is less than about 100 nm in size.
 13. The nanodiscof claim 1, wherein the nanodisc is less than about 10 nm in size. 14.The nanodisc of claim 1, wherein the ratio of lipid to telodendrimer isfrom about 200:1 to about 5:1 (w/w).
 15. The nanodisc of claim 1,wherein the ratio of lipid to telodendrimer is about 9:1 (w/w).
 16. Acell-free method of making a nanodisc, the method comprising: forming avesicle comprising a telodendrimer and a lipid, wherein the ratio oflipid to telodendrimer is from about 500:1 to about 1:1 (w/w); andforming a reaction mixture of the vesicle and a membrane scaffoldprotein in the absence of a cell, thereby preparing the nanodisc. 17.The method of claim 16, wherein the membrane scaffold protein isapolipoprotein.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the reaction mixturefurther comprises a lysate, a buffer, and a polymerase.
 19. The methodof claim 16, wherein the lipid:telodendrimer are present in a ratio ofabout 99:1 (w/w).
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein thelipid:telodendrimer are present in a ratio of about 9:1 (w/w).